Then

Felix goes off alone and actually manages to catch a rabbit. However, he drops it when he hears gunshots. Nazi soldiers are in the woods hunting rabbits as well. Felix is relieved; he knows that he would not have been able to bring himself to kill the rabbit, even to feed his family.

Felix follows the Nazis to the river, where they fish with hand grenades. The Jewish orphan returns and asks Felix if he wants to hunt Nazis. He produces two guns. Felix is horrified. Disappointed in Felix, the boy goes off alone and shoots one of the soldiers. Felix runs away as the other soldiers start searching the woods.

Felix hides in the river even though the water is cold. He takes a fish killed by the grenades and rushes home, worried that the Nazis will come after Zelda for revenge. Once home, he frantically begins digging a hole in the barn to make a better hiding place for Zelda. Genia comes outside and asks what he is doing. Felix confesses to sneaking out. Genia is concerned, but she reassures Felix that if the Nazis did not see him, they are safe. Genia does not think hiding Zelda will work, because Zelda is a fidget. Zelda appears and says that she will shoot a Nazi the next time they come. Felix can tell that Genia is concerned about Zelda’s behavior, too.

Genia makes stew with Felix’s fish. Felix can tell that Genia is still concerned about something. She later explains that her husband, Gabriek, is coming home in a few days. Genia is confident that Gabriek will not turn the children in to the Nazis, but she worries that he will think it is too risky to shelter them. That night, both Felix and Zelda lie awake, worrying about Gabriek’s reaction to their presence.

Days pass, but there is no sign of Gabriek. One morning, they are forced to assemble in the town square to mock captured Jewish people. Felix feels sad when he sees how they are treated. When Zelda asks where the Jewish people are going, a man nearby jokes that they are going somewhere hot. Felix knows that this means they are going to a death camp. Genia joins in with the crowd shouting at the Jews, though the pain it brings her is evident in her eyes. Understanding the importance of blending in, Felix mimics her behavior even though he is anguished to think of his parents and the prisoners’ suffering. He worries that Zelda will act out and give them all away.

The Hitler Youth boy who saw Felix drop the Richmal Crompton book spots Felix in the crowd and comes over. While Felix and Genia are distracted, Zelda slips out to the line of prisoners and tells a Jewish couple that they can be her replacement parents. Felix frantically tries to deescalate the situation, but a Nazi soldier smashes his head with the butt of a rifle.

Felix wakes up in bed at home with his head throbbing in pain. The Hitler Youth boy managed to convince the soldier not to hurt Zelda. Genia and Zelda are relieved that Felix is conscious. They let him rest. Felix lies awake and realizes that if the Nazi had seen that he was circumcised, he would have shot him and Zelda. He decides that Genia and Zelda will be safer if he leaves, though the thought of leaving them breaks his heart.

When Zelda still refuses to think of happy memories of her parents, Felix comes up with another plan to keep her safe from the Nazis. The Nazis used to force the Jewish orphans to pick potatoes, and now that the orphans are dead, they make the townspeople do it. Felix sees the Richmal Crompton fan among the Hitler Youth and the soldiers who are overseeing the townspeople. Felix plans to let himself be rounded up to pick potatoes so that he can talk to the boy.

At first, Felix’s plan goes as he hoped. He sneaks out when Genia and Zelda go hunting for rabbits. Felix picks potatoes, waiting for an opportune moment to talk to the Hitler Youth boy. When it starts to rain, the workers find shelter. Felix is accosted by Cyryl, who shouts to the soldiers that Felix is a Jew. Soldiers come over to pull down Felix’s pants. Panicked, Felix shows them Zelda’s locket. The Hitler Youth boy tells Felix that the soldiers want to know if the people in the photo are members of his family. Felix lies and says that they are. When Cyryl protests, the Hitler Youth punches him in the stomach. The soldiers laugh and walk away.

The Hitler Youth boy walks with Felix back to the potato field. He introduces himself as Amon Kurtz. They discuss their mutual love for Richmal Crompton’s stories. Felix asks if Amon can take care of Zelda; Amon agrees. He is well-liked by the Shutzstaffel (SS). Felix gives him the Richmal Crompton book. Amon tells Felix that he wishes Richmal Crompton were in charge instead of Hitler; then they would both be home with their families. On his way home, exhausted, Felix is confronted by the Jewish orphan, who points a gun at Felix and accuses him of being a Nazi spy.

Felix invites the boy to dinner. He tries to explain the situation with Amon, and he can tell that the boy wants to believe him. Felix wants to convince him to stop killing Nazis so the Nazis will stop seeking revenge. Genia is furious at the presence of the Jewish orphan but tries to hide her anger in front of the guest. The boy’s name is Dov. To Felix’s astonishment, he is staying with Mr. Krol, a nearby farmer. Dov is full of anger. When Genia tells him that Leopold was killed by the Nazis, he throws a plate across the room. Genia tries to comfort him by saying they all have lost family to the Nazis, but Dov says they still do not know how he feels. Genia urges him to draw what happened to him, and they learn that Dov’s parents ran the Jewish orphanage. He and his parents were thrown in the pit along with the Jewish orphans. His parents did not survive. All four of them are crying after Dov’s story. Zelda draws a picture that shows her parents apologizing.